


Who Did it!

by vixevilcat7



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:34:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29972613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vixevilcat7/pseuds/vixevilcat7
Summary: The Quidditch Pitch Inferno of 1998The Battle of Hogwarts is ere and the only thing on everyone's mind is 'who set fire to the bloody Quidditch pitch?!'A plot bunny originally born on the Facebook page: The Plunny Farm
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Thorfinn Rowle
Kudos: 7
Collections: vixevilcat7





	1. Chapter 1

It was a beautiful day in May. Much too beautiful to be fighting. Definitely too beautiful for a war to be playing out. But there they were. Fighting a battle that neither side was sure they could even win. 

Hermione Granger was in a furious duel with Thorfinn Rowle as Corbin Yaxley stood at his back, shielding his friend. It seemed like no matter which curse or spell she flung at him, he easily deflected it. It was painfully obvious that she was going to lose but she was going down fighting. It seemed, however, like Rowle was more interested in playing with her than fighting her. He was slowly but surely backing her into a corner. He wasn't torturing her and he also hadn't flung the killing curse at her. Yet. As he got close enough to press against her, Rowle grabbed her wrists and kept them pinned to the wall. 

He stared at her intently for a moment, then a sudden grin curled his lips. "Oi, I found her, Corbin! Gryffindor's very own Princess, Hermione Granger!Want to play, Granger?" Rowle crooned, nuzzling under her hair and nipping at her lobe. He felt her shivering. 

Yaxley was too busy deflecting curses away from them to answer. Hermione looked past them. Nobody had noticed her being stalked. Everyone else was too busy fighting for their lives. Any minute now, Thorfinn Rowle was going to turn her into his own personal plaything! Merlin help her, she didn't want to be taken by a Death Eater! 

"Reckon you could find somewhere more private to play with her, mate? Somewhere we don't stand a chance of dying, perhaps?" Yaxley panted, deflecting more curses away from them. 

"Pretty sure I can. Where exactly are we? There should be some empty rooms around here, right?" Rowle was peering around. Then he looked down at Hermione again. 

"Oh, Princess, your pretty shirt is all dusty! Let me help you with that." Rowle said, pseudo politely. He dusted her shirt off, making sure to rub all over her chest as he did so. Then he ran his hands up, down and between her legs and across her bum. "I'll just dust off the pants, too, sweet thing." 

"Please, please, let me go!" she begged. He started kissing her cheeks as she felt two hands began inching under her shirt. She started squirming wildly trying to get away from him. 

"Oi, Corbin, empty room to our right. Plenty of wide sturdy tables for me to lay her down on, aye?" Rowle had a wicked glint in his eyes. 

Yaxley grinned wickedly. "Get her out of sight. I'll stand watch for you!" 

Hermione started whimpering and opened her mouth to scream. Nothing came out. She had been placed under a silencing spell. Rowle lifted her up. Just then she heard a whisper. It sounded like 'Quidditch'? A flash of blond streaked past. Then Lucius Malfoy stopped in front of her and her captors. 

He grinned at her predicament but addressed the two big blonds in front of her. "Rowle, Yaxley, tie her up, put her somewhere she can't get away and let's go! They've set the Quidditch pitch on fire! We got to put it out!" Both men jerked at the mention of their beloved pitch. 

"The pitch?" Rowle yelped in surprise.

"It's on fire?" Yaxley growled in anger.

Rowle looked at Yaxley, looked at Hermione and made his choice. Yaxley helped him lift her and they carried her into the empty room. They laid her on a table and tied her down in such a way that she couldn't attract any help. Rowle leaned over and kissed her breathless. "Don't go anywhere, Princess, I'll be back for you!" 

Then he and Yaxley ran out to help fight the fire.Hermione was gasping in outrage. He'd LEFT her! How dare he just tie her down and LEAVE her! ANYONE could walk in, find her and KILL her! He'd feel funny if he came back to a dead witch, wouldn't he? She continued raging quietly to herself as she struggled to get free from the bindings they'd used. 

Outside the room, Voldemort was confused. One moment, he'd been fighting the Potter brat and the next he was gone, as if he'd vanished into thin air. He looked around, noticing he had far fewer people in the room with him now. There was a steady stream of people headed out the door. He and the remaining fighters, equally confused, followed them out. They were all headed to the Quidditch pitch? What! 

"Bloody Quidditch! Are you serious?!" he shrieked. "I'm trying to wipe out Muggles! Get back here!" 

The Death Eaters looked at him, then the pitch. Then they looked at each other. You could almost SEE them debating, Quidditch pitch or Voldemort, fight fire or fight people. As one, they all shrugged at him, then flew down the path to the pitch. 

Voldemort let out a shriek of outrage as he stamped his feet angrily, firing random Avadas in the direction of the pitch. He was astounded! They, they had deserted him! The greatest dark wizard of all time and they had deserted him! For a pitch! How dare they do this!

"Run off and leave me, will they! We'll just see how THEY like it! I'll run off and leave them to talk their way out of prison! Ha!" He stomped back into the school. 

There was something or actually SOMEONE he had to collect. He knew at least six of his followers would eventually catch up to him. But, in the meantime, he knew exactly who he could take to insure the presence of one Thorfinn Rowle, his most dangerous young follower. He'd seen the boy fighting, had watched him stalk the young witch into the corner and knew exactly which room he and Yaxley had stashed her in. 

It was a sight they had never seen before and never wanted to see again. Their beloved Quidditch pitch was literally up in flames! Those equipped with brooms immediately mounted up and started doing flyovers, dropping water in an attempt to contain the fire from the air. The Death Eaters made a curve around the outer side and began soaking the bleachers and the towers to extinguish the flames. The members of the Order and the teachers rushed inside and began the same routine from within. Between them all, they quickly gained control of the fire, putting it out little by little. They reinforced bindings and replaced weak boards with stronger material while they were going through the list of repairs needed to reopen the pitch. 

"Oi, I think we did a good job, mates. That was our best battle yet, aye? Hey, how about a quick game of Quidditch? Then we get back to the fight." Oliver Wood chattered. Even the Death Eaters looked eager to get into the game. Everyone was lining up to be chosen for a team. 

Back at the castle, Hermione was still struggling to free herself. She froze as the door opened. It was Voldemort. "Well, if it isn't Miss Granger! Hello, my dear, how are you doing today? Dear, dear, whoever was it who did this to you? Why, mercy me, I would have thought you'd be right beside Potter!" he asked. 

At her muffled answer, he waved his wand, lifting the silencing spell. "I WOULD but your Neanderthal followers grabbed me and tied me to this table!" she spat angrily. He raised a brow at her, pretending ignorance of who she was talking about. "Rowle! And Yaxley!" 

She was outraged as he threw his head back and actually laughed at her. "Oh, yes! Thorfinn is extremely fond of his women. Corbin has a hard time keeping him under control, I think. I have more trouble keeping him away from the ladies than keeping Antonin AND Bellatrix under control!" he chuckled. He inspected the bindings they had used. She was hopeful that he was about to free her but he turned away, leaving her bound. 

"Wait, please untie me?" she asked, hating herself for being at his power. 

"Hmmm, no, I don't think I will. I must, however, take you with me. It's the only way to ensure that Thorfinn, at least, will follow." He waved his wand and she floated, still bound, after him. After he took the Mudblood, he walked out of the castle. He made sure there were people who would see him leaving with her. This would be the perfect way to draw Rowle after him, anyway! And where Rowle went, Yaxley followed. He had pretty much taken the young man under his wing. They would definitely rejoin him, if only to get the girl back into Thorfinn's hands! They were two of his most dangerous followers, the other two being Dolohov and Bellatrix. He had no doubt those two, though, would hunt him out without having to be tempted. 

As the short quick game had turned into a long drawn out game, Rowle had forgotten about his little captive. As the game drew to a close, however, he looked at Yaxley. 

"Bloody hell!" they exclaimed at the same time. They ran back to the castle, into the room where they had secured her. 

"Merlin, she's gone!" Thorfinn yelled, running his hands through his hair. "Fucking hell, we should have stayed up here!" 

"Calm down, Finn, we'll find your girl. I'll help you, ok? I promise you, we'll find your girl!" Yaxley calmed him down as he tried to figure out how she could have gotten free! Then he realized something. He started smiling. "Oi, Thorfinn, look right here, where I'm standing. Notice anything?"

"Yeah, my bloody girl is gone!" he growled furiously. 

Yaxley sighed. 'Sometimes Thorfinn really acted like the dumb blond the Muggles were always making jokes about!' 

"Noooo! That's not what I meant! C'mon, Thorfinn, look, right here, where I'm AT! Besides the girl, what ELSE is not here?" he asked the youngster patiently. Frowning, the young man checked out the area closely. Then his eyes widened. 

"Bloody hell, the whole fucking table is gone!" he exclaimed. Yaxley nodded. He had a pretty good idea where Thor's girl might be.

Just then they heard the voices of two teen boys yelling. "Hermione? Hermione? Where are you? Are you sure Bill said she was seen this way, Ron?" 

"Yes, Bill saw her being carried this way but then he got swept out the door before he could reach her! It was two Death Eaters who had her." Ron Weasley replied, annoyance clear in his voice. "It's just like her to get herself kidnapped!" 

"Actually, it's not like her to get herself 'kidnapped', Ron. That would be more me or you. If she was bound, though, it's not good!" Harry sounded worried. 

The Death Eaters in question looked at each other. They waited to see if they could gain any more information about the girl. "What was it Molly said? She saw her being floated out by who?"

"Mum said You-Know-Who had her but that's ridiculous, Harry! We both know he hates Muggleborns and Muggles, why would he have taken her with him?" their voices faded away, leaving two wizards staring at each other. 

"Merlin! He'll kill her before I get to play with her!" Thorfinn breathed. 'Damn! All the trouble he'd gone to over the years, making sure he had a way to track her, then finally getting his hands on her, all for nothing!' He sank into a crouch, hands on his knees and head bowed in disappointment.

"Not if we track him down! Don't you worry, mate, you'll still get to play with Granger!" Yaxley clapped a rough hand on his friends shoulder. They slipped out without being stopped and Disapparated. 

Back in the Great Hall, everyone turned around as Harry Potter and Ron Weasley came back in. They shook their heads no. They hadn't found hide nor hair of Hermione. Nobody had seen Voldemort either, aside from the few who had seen him leave with Hermione. 

McGonagall called for order using a Sonorus to make herself heard. "Attention, Attention, everyone! We need to start thinking of getting the repairs started on the Quidditch pitch. The school is also going to need a great deal of work in order to reopen in the next couple of years." She said. 

"Who did it?" yelled Flint. "Who fired on the pitch? Why was the Quidditch pitch even targeted? That's what I want to know!"

"I don't know, Mr. Flint. We have no answers at this time. Just as we don't know where Voldemort is or where Hermione Granger is. We need to form search parties and look for her." McGonagall told them. 

"Why? She's probably the one who ordered the strike on the pitch!" Ron yelled. McGonagall looked at Harry as if to see whether he was going to stand up for her or not. "She's never liked hearing us even talk about Quidditch. AND she hates the Chudley Cannons!"

Harry looked reluctant to defend Hermione. "Ron has a point. Hermione doesn't like Quidditch. She always said it took too much of our time." 

McGonagall rolled her eyes. 'Boys!' she thought. She put her hands on her hips, narrowed her eyes, and pursed her lips sternly as she glared at Harry. Harry saw her and gulped, knowing he'd just unleashed the wrath of McGonagall on himself!

"I don't see Miss Granger as the type of girl to order an attack on anything. I do, however, know someone who hates Quidditch and should easily have been able to stop that fire but Nooo, he didn't even try! You can't tell me the most powerful Dark Lord ever couldn't have done SOMETHING to help!" Lucius Malfoy growled angrily. "The Dark Lord could easily have ordered that attack!" 

Outraged mutterings were heard all over the Great Hall. A certain reporter from the Daily Prophet had just arrived, hoping for some juicy stories and, oh, what a plum had fallen into her hands! Better yet, it was the perfect way to get back at that smarmy little know it all who had held her captive for a year! She quickly walked around getting quotes from people who held an equally great dislike of Hermione Granger. Finally she interviewed one disgruntled Ron Weasley. Harry was on the other side of the room, getting reamed out by McGonagall for not standing up for Hermione. 

Voldemort had just reached his ancestral home when he heard four pops. He looked over his shoulder. As expected, Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, along with Dolohov, had just popped into sight. They were astounded by the sight of Hermione Granger, still bound to the table that Voldemort had walked out of Hogwarts with. 

"Welcome to Riddle Manor, my friends. Please adjourn to the dining room while I escort Miss Granger to Thorfinn's room." They chuckled at the outrage clearly showing on Granger's face. They knew about the Quidditch player's obsession with this girl. As soon as he'd known they were headed to Hogwarts, he'd let everyone know Granger was HIS and not to be messed with! 

They headed into the dining room where comfortable chairs and firewhiskey waited for them.The Dark Lord floated the table up the stairs and into a room with a huge bed. After some consideration, he muttered a spell which instantly transferred her, still bound, from the table into the bed. Laughing to himself, he put an Unbreakable charm on the bed, the floor under it and the wall behind it. If he knew Thorfinn the way he thought he did, Thorfinn wasn't likely to leave this room anytime soon. Miss Granger might not walk right ever again before it was all said and done! 

"There. I think that takes care of you. Thorfinn should be here soon. I'll be sure and let the elves know your meals will be served here until further notice." He vanished the table and walked out, leaving a horrified Hermione Granger tied to Thorfinn Rowle's bed. Hermione Granger didn't give up easily and she was bound and determined to get free before Thorfinn showed up. She was NOT about to be a Death Eater's plaything! Not if she had anything to say about it! She had to get back to Hogwarts! Harry needed her help! Merlin help him if he had to depend on Ron to research anything for him. She fought the ropes until she'd worn herself out. Soon she was so tired she fell fast asleep.


	2. Thorfinn's Delightful Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Hermione Granger resist the charms of her roguish ladies' man of a captor, Thorfinn Rowle?

Thorfinn Rowle entered the room quietly. He took a moment to observe the young witch asleep in his bed. He waved his wand and vanished her clothes, along with his own. He also lengthened the ropes binding her to the bed. This way, she could move around but still not escape until he was ready to release her. He stuck her wand, along with his, into the drawer of the bedside table. He pulled back the covers and climbed into bed. 

He laid there beside her for the longest time, admiring her beauty and inspecting the dark circles under her eyes. He knew they'd been on the run for a long time. She was skinny, almost too thin. He could almost see her ribs where she clearly hadn't been eating much of anything, if she'd eaten at all! He noticed her shivering where the cold was hitting her. He pulled the covers over them both, curled around her and went to sleep. 

Hermione woke up to soft kisses across her brow. Then they trailed down her jawline and finally gentle kisses on the tip of her nose and her lips. She opened her eyes, expecting cornflower blue eyes to be looking back at her, covered by red strands of hair. Instead she saw ice blue eyes, tanned skin and Nordic blond hair. Thorfinn knew who she'd been expecting to wake up to. Before she could protest or shove him away, he pounced on her. Burying both hands in her hair, he kept her from turning away from him. He kissed her until he needed to come up for air.

"Good evening, Granger. I thought you had escaped. Imagine my surprise, hearing the Dark Lord had left and taken you with him. We knew he wouldn't go back to the Malfoys place but Yaxley remembered that he had his own manor and here we are. Damn, I was thrilled when he told me you were here, too." He muttered into her hair as he buried his face in it. 

"Seriously, you couldn't have been that thrilled about it. It was morning when we were there and now it's evening here! I'm assuming you Apparated away from the school but still it isn't that great of a distance!" she sniped at him. He just laughed. 

"Well, we did have a match after we got the fire out. It was just supposed to be a quick game but we lost track of time." He told her as he chuckled.

"Well, that figures! But still, it doesn't explain why you're so thrilled that I'M here! Why me, Rowle? Of all the girls at Hogwarts, why have you always been so focused on ME?" she tried to wriggle away, to no avail. 

He lifted his head and looked at her."Ah, but surely you know, don't you? You really shouldn't have ratted me out. That was your mistake, darling, bringing yourself to my attention. None of those other girls almost got me booted out of school! Or off the Quidditch team! I didn't want to marry any of them! I certainly never cornered any of them in their fourth year on the Hogwarts Express, just to kiss them. Once you caught my eye, nobody else mattered." He grinned at her disgruntled expression. 

"You risked your fledgling career to corner a fourth year student, a fourteen year old girl, and kiss her?!" she was gritting her teeth at him. "You were seventeen. You had to know what would happen if you'd been caught doing that." 

"Yes, IF the student in question had actually been fourteen. But we both know you were already fifteen, don't we? You turned fifteen just after school started so I was perfectly within my right to set a courtship in motion. I didn't kiss you until the end of the year, remember, which would put it closer to your sixteenth birthday. Wizarding courtship dictates courtship may not begin before the witch's fifteenth birthday. The wizard is only allowed to touch the witch once, in order to start the courtship. After that, no more touching until she comes of age. I knew exactly how old you were. Who do you think sent you these earrings you're wearing?" he watched, amused, as her eyes widened.

"Y-you, but, Ron, I thought-?" she stammered in confusion. 

He laughed softly."Oh, what did you think, Granger? That the redheaded wonder had sent you those? When has he ever remembered your birthday without a reminder? How many times has he ever given you a present, hmm? I know Potter does but we're not talking about his gift giving. Besides he's always hurting your feelings! Both of them hurt you and you never call them on it! Do you know how many times I sat at the Slytherin table, watching you cry after they hurt your feelings? Wanting nothing more than to pummel both of them into the ground?" his eyes darkened in anger at the memory. 

Hermione was shocked. Her earrings, the little intertwined hearts that she loved so much, were not a gift from Ron? No wonder he'd been so angry when she received them! Remembering the colors, though, it suddenly made sense. They were green and red, traditionally Slytherin and Gryffindor colors! 

"How did you even know I'd wear them? I don't wear much jewelry, you know. I never have worn much jewelry." Hermione reasoned. 

"You don't wear jewelry on your hands. This necklace, you've worn it ever since I can remember at Hogwarts. I knew, if it could be worn somewhere other than your hands, you'd wear it. I also knew you'd accept it, thinking one of them had sent it, as long as I didn't write a note with it. See, I'm not as stupid as you always accused me of being. How was it you said it? 'Bloody stupid Neanderthal!' I might not have taken as many O. W. L's as you did but the ones I took, I passed with flying colors!" he smirked at her. 

Frankly, she was shocked that he knew that much about her taste in jewelry! He could only have figured that out by watching her constantly. She recalled now the many times she'd looked around, feeling someone's eyes on her. Never once had she even glanced HIS way! 

Before she could respond, he had her pressed back down again. This time, she didn't offer any resistance. Until, that is, his hands slid down to her waist and moved in from there. She squeaked and twisted away from him, frantically shaking her head. He paused, watching her closely. As soon as he stopped and moved his hands away, she relaxed back into the pillow. 

It didn't bother him, because he was hoping for that reaction. Had she allowed him to touch her there, it would be proof that she was already experienced. This way, he got the pleasure of showing her how enjoyable it could be. He pulled her upright, then laid down and put her across his lap. She was suddenly looking down at him laying comfortably against the pillow. He pulled her hands away as she tried to cover herself up. He brought them down onto his shoulders. She was now hanging over him. 

"Easy, Granger. You're beautiful. Don't hide it. I like looking at you. Look, they're the perfect size. It's like they were made just for me to hold." He had his hands cupped around her breasts. Her face was bright red and she was biting her lip. "Don't be embarrassed. This is all part of us getting to know each other. Feel free to explore if you want to." 

She looked down and touched it, this one part of him that she'd never seen. It was bigger than she'd thought it would be. She couldn't deny to herself that she had been curious about him ever since that day he'd kissed her. She remembered, quite clearly, how he'd pulled her into an empty compartment. He'd scooped her into his arms, pressing against her, as he held her against the wall. He'd kissed both of her lobes, then kissed her. THAT must have been when he started the courtship! 

She'd felt it that day, hardening as he held her. Seeing how he was looking at her, her heart had begun to race in both fear and excitement. She'd feared him as an older student but at the same time was excited that it was HER he was kissing! He was a popular student and a favorite among the Quidditch players. He was headed for a bright future with the Ballycastle Bats. At the time, she'd thought he must have either lost a bet or been dared to kiss her. He was, after all, a pureblood who despised Muggleborns. Either way, he'd kissed her breathless, dropped her onto the train seat, grinned wickedly at her, then left. 

While she'd been thinking back to that encounter, Rowle was stroking his hands over her ribs. "You're too skinny, sweetheart, your little ribs are showing. Didn't you eat anything at all or did you feed THEM the most of your food?" he frowned up at her. 

"Well, umm, I, uh, I did eat! I just, I've never been a heavy eater. My mum and dad always said I ate like a bird, that's all!" she said defensively.

"Well, then. Are you hungry now? Come to think of it, I haven't eaten since last night. We left too early this morning to have breakfast and we were battling shortly after that. Then the Quidditch pitch had to be rescued. Between all that, I haven't eaten. I'm starved. Oi, Mims!" At his yell, a little house elf popped into view. 

The first thing Hermione noticed was the little Slytherin green baby doll dress she was wearing. The second was the green tie loosely looped around her neck. "Mims, there you are, darling! This is Miss Hermione, soon to be the mistress of the house! Come meet her!" Thorfinn spoke softly to the elf. She approached the bed, her big eyes blinking adoringly at Thorfinn.

"Hermione, this is Mims, my house elf. As you can see, she's wearing clothes. She's a free elf but she stayed with my family because she had nowhere else she wanted to go. She was and still is a nanny elf. She took care of me and she'll take care of our children." 

Hermione looked at him. "Children? You're already planning on children? I'm not going to be a plaything or a broodmare! I have plans for my life, plans that don't involve relationships or children!"

He leaned forward, staring intently at her. "Make no mistake, Granger. Now that I have you where I want you, we WILL be married. The Dark Lord has already approved our union. I understand where you are coming from, though. Of course, you'll want to finish your education. No doubt, you'll want to work for a while as well. I'm still working my way up the ranks in the Quidditch league. I'm not ready for children yet, myself, but it never hurts to have a backup plan." He reached over and tapped the tip of her nose playfully. 

She wrinkled it at him, then turned her attention back to the elf. "It's good to meet you, Mims. I look forward to getting to know you better." Hermione said to the little creature. 

Mims transferred her adoring gaze to Hermione. "Is little missy hungry? Mims will be happy to bring food. And drink." 

Hermione smiled. The elf was obviously well trained. "I could go for some treacle tarts right now." Hermione admitted. 

"Neither of us ate last night or this morning, Mims. We need some food. The treacle tarts will be our dessert." Thorfinn told Mims as he lazily waved a hand at her. 

"Pumpkin juice, butterbeer or firewhiskey?" asked the elf

"Either pumpkin juice or butterbeer." Hermione answered her. 

"Bring us all three, Mims." Thorfinn told the elf as she prepared to leave. 

"Now, where were we?" he mused as he wrapped both of her hands around himself. Showing her how squeeze then release as she moved her hands up and down almost sent him over the edge. She watched his breath deepen and his eyes dilate as she continued. She squeaked in surprise as he sat up, facing her. His hands slid to the tops of her thighs. She lost track of what she was doing as she tracked the path of his hands. As she grabbed his hands again, he pulled away from her this time. 

"You know what my mother told me one time?" While he talked to her, he eased a hand behind him and summoned two rings into his hand. Now, to complete their bond. 

Hermione tilted her head. "No, what does your mother have to do with this?" 

"She told me something one time, about a young woman's body. She said, because of my size, I'd need to prepare my bride to receive me. I'm sure you know where you'll be receiving me." He slid one hand back up her legs. "I need to help your body stretch enough to not hurt you too bad. This will be your first time. There's no way to completely erase the pain. But I can make it slightly easier to bear." He put her hands back on himself as he stroked his hand over her center.

"I don't think I'll be able to stretch that much. It'll hurt too much. I'm not good with pain." She said, eyeing him nervously. 

He started rubbing her gently. "That's why I need to help you, Princess, it's part of our bond. Let me show you how good it can be." He smiled as she gasped and her head fell back. He nuzzled her neck and kissed his way back up her jawline. 

With his thumb, he kept up a stimulating massage on her sweet spot. He inserted a finger to begin stretching her enough to accept him. She moaned softly and stiffened as she felt the pressure. He made sure to let her relax before he continued. The further in he went, the more she relaxed. Finally, he put a second finger in. She instantly stiffened back up. He went through the entire routine again. 

Once he had her gasping in pleasure, he laid her back and wandlessly cast a Contraceptive charm. He pulled her hands up above her head. He slid the fingers of his left hand around her left hand. He slid one ring onto his ring finger and the other went onto Hermione's ring finger. Then he guided her right hand back down to wrap around him again. 

As her hand closed around him, he spoke against her ear, "Guide me in, baby girl, show me the way." She put his tip against her and lifted her hips. The head easily slid in. He kept pushing slowly until he felt her tightening. This was where it got tricky. He could either push on through the narrow passage completely or he could take it inch by inch. One way would hurt her but a brief few minutes and then ease off. The other would hurt her too much. "I'm sorry, baby girl. This is going to hurt but it's the best way." With those words, he shoved through and buried himself within her. As he did, he kissed her. It effectively muffled her scream of pain. 

Then he glanced over her head. Their joined left hands were bathed in a soft golden light. He smiled contentedly. The fact that it was a golden light was a good sign. Had it been any other color, he'd have been worried about her being able to break the bond. The golden light, however, made their bond permanent. He forced himself to stay still. Now if he could just get her through this first time without too much more pain. He couldn't help feeling her trying to pull away from him. 

"It hurts! Please stop! I can't do this!" she sobbed quietly. He wiped away her tears as he waited. Finally she stopped struggling. 

"Shush, it's alright, baby girl." He nibbled on her lobe, then kissed her. 

Her hand was clenched in his hair once more, but he didn't mind. So long as their left hands stayed joined until the end, he couldn't care less if she pulled all of his hair out. He rubbed his right hand over her breasts again. As he played with them, he alternated between her lips and her lobes. She finally relaxed enough for him to start moving again. He pulled back only slightly. If he stayed mostly inside the passage he'd just widened, it would help her stretch faster and easier the next time. He could feel a sticky wetness loosening the way. He knew it would be blood, proof positive that this had been her first time. He began pumping very slowly as she wiggled around, feeling the moisture as well. 

Before long, he had her gasping in pleasure, not a care in the world. He sped up as he felt himself tightening. They cried out in unison as they fell into a world of pleasure. He tried to move off of her, then stayed as she wrapped her legs around him. 

"Does this mean you enjoyed it, baby girl?" he chuckled. 

She blushed bright red and buried her face against his shoulder. He raised up and rolled off her. He came off the bed and walked over to the inner door. He opened the door, waved his hand inside and came back to the bed. He reached down, picked her up and carried her into the loo. He'd set the tub to filling up. 

"A nice, warm bath will help ease some of the soreness you'll feel soon." He stepped into the tub and sat down with her in his lap. 

He slid them down until the water touched their chins. She sighed happily at the steaming hot water surrounding her. This was the one thing that had always relaxed her. She did her best thinking in a steaming hot bath. She rubbed her hand up and down his arm. 

He had the toned, muscular body of a Quidditch player, even though he hadn't played in a couple of months. "When are you going back to playing Quidditch?"

"When this whole war is settled. Win, lose or draw, it has to end soon. The Bats are getting impatient for him to send me back." He cupped some water in his hands and dropped it into her hair. 

She rolled her head from side to side to get her hair completely wet. He opened a bottle of shampoo, drizzling a large amount into his hand. He ducked his own head under as she reached for the shampoo. They lathered each other's hair as they continued talking. 

"Do you think they'll reopen Hogwarts?" she asked, having been shanghaied away before the rebuilding discussion. 

"Yes, that's why we raced down there to get the pitch fire out. Wouldn't be much use to do that and NOT reopen the school, right?" he shrugged. She conceded the point. 

"So, you already know that I would want to go back to school and work for a while. If I do go back to Hogwarts, how would that work out since you seem keen for this marriage to happen?" she watched him grin slyly and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

"Easy. I would move from Ballycastle to Hogsmeade. We'd get a house in the village for your holidays. I'll still be traveling with the Bats and you'll be in school. We'd live in the village for your holidays then back to work and school." He leaned forward. "Seriously, Granger, we can make this work. All it takes is a little compromise here and there. We can do this!" 

As they finished their bath, they heard the tinkle of silverware from the bedroom. "Ah, that will be Mims with our meal." He stood, stepped out and grabbed a towel. Wrapping it around his hips, he grabbed another, holding it up for Hermione. She stepped out of the tub and into his arms. He leaned down, kissed her and turned them both to the mirror. She still hadn't noticed her new accessory. 

He allowed her to brush his hair and braid two thick braids down from each temple. If playing with his hair kept her in a good mood, he'd let her style it any way she wanted to. He gently ran a brush through her hair and put it into a thick plait down her back. He transfigured their towels into dressing robes. Then they sat down to eat. The little elf had outdone herself, bringing strawberries and cream as well as red and white wine to add to the feast they had ordered.


	3. Bloody Hell!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quidditch and power. The truth comes out!

It was a full three days before Thorfinn and Hermione made an appearance downstairs. Voldemort and the rest of his followers were seated around the table, discussing the articles which had been showing up in the Daily Prophet. They were debating the merits of whether or not to show them to Hermione. 

As Thorfinn led her into the room, they were surprised to see her wand strapped to her arm. They were even more surprised to see a wedding band on her hand. 'When the devil had they managed that little feat?!'Voldemort seemed especially pleased at the sight of the ring, nodding at Thorfinn approvingly. Thorfinn nodded back and pulled Hermione close to him as they walked to the only empty seats left. 

They were seated across from each other on each side of Voldemort. Thorfinn was on his left beside Yaxley. Hermione was seated to his right with Fenrir Greyback to her right. She was visibly nervous at being the only Muggleborn in the room.

"Oi, Lady QuitThat! Nice to see you finally! Didn't think little Finn was ever going to let us meet you!" Yaxley exclaimed. 

Dolohov, who had just taken a sip of firewhiskey, did a spit take at the confusion on her face. Rodolphus and Rabastan were sniggering. Bella, although smiling, was also shaking her head as she face palmed. Greyback was chuckling softly. 

"Excuse me?" she glanced at Thorfinn who shook his head. He held his hands palm up, indicating he was just as confused. Voldemort pulled out the newspapers and handed them to her silently. 

On the first day's paper was a full page picture of the Quidditch pitch up in flames. The headline screamed "The Quidditch Pitch Inferno of 1998!" Underneath was the subtitle. "WHO DID IT?" she frowned as she read the article. They all waited for her reaction to her own appearance in the article. They weren't disappointed. "Hermione Granger, better known as Dark Lady QuitThat, is lesser known for her activities at the Battle of Hogwarts during the fall of the Dark Lord Voldemort, but the thirst for power was evident even then. In a shocking betrayal of her friends and a disgusting act of vandalism, she set the school's famously even Quidditch pitch afire!" 

"WHAT?! DARK LADY QUITTHAT?! OHHHHH! THAT BEETLE! SHE'S GONE TOO FAR THIS TIME!!" Hermione screamed angrily. "The fall of Voldemort?? He isn't dead, that beetle brained bottle blonde! Who was her source?! Who the devil told her all that-?! Oh! Oh, you! I'll kill you, Ronald Weasley! Just because I don't like the Chudley Cannons?! Are you kidding me?!" 

She jumped up and was stopped by Thorfinn." Whoa, princess! Where do you think you're going?"

"Me? I'm going to go kill Ron Weasley! And Harry Potter! How dare he just LET Ron accuse me, ME, of setting that fire! Seriously?!" she struggled as he picked her up. "Put me down, if you know what's good for you, Rowle! NOW!" 

"Nope! Don't think I will, baby girl! You are entirely too upset. It's not good for the baby, you know." He said, winking at Yaxley. Yaxley hurriedly set his drink back down and stopped Dolohov. 

"Baby? What ba-? Oh, Merlin! You did not! You better not have! Rowle! I told you I wasn't ready for children! You said the same thing! What the bloody hell did you do?!" she snarled at him. He smirked at her. 

Yaxley, Dolohov, Greyback and the Lestrange brothers were all howling with laughter. Bella had her head laid on the table, her shoulders shaking with amusement. The Dark Lord had a napkin over his mouth, hiding his own sniggers. 

"Children are a natural byproduct of marriage. We're married so naturally we're going to have babies." He said logically. She stared at him in shock. 

"Excuse me, Rowle, but I think you might have taken one too many Bludgers to the head! We are NOT married yet! There has been no marriage ceremony! I would know if I've been married! You said it was just a betrothal right now! YOU said that!" she sputtered at him. He simply took her left hand in his and lifted them in front of her. Her eyes widened at the sight of a wedding band on her finger. 

She gritted her teeth. "And just when did you do THAT, might I ask?"

"That first night, darling. You might have been a little, um, distracted then." He smiled charmingly at her. Greyback raised a brow as she let out a growl of pure rage, directed solely at her new 'husband'. "I could have sworn I told you we WOULD be married, one way or another, sweetheart." 

"So you put a wedding band on me and declared us married?! That's not legal! It can't be, not if I didn't know what was happening!" she snapped. 

"Actually, darling, hate to break it to you but he can do that, even if you didn't know what was happening." Yaxley drawled. "Most betrothals only go until the girl comes of age. The first time the couple sleep together is considered their first act of marriage, whether they've performed a ceremony or not. So he's correct. Even though you haven't performed a marriage ceremony yet, the two of you are married." 

"But still, it's only been three days. Surely I'm not already pregnant! Bella? I can't be, can I?" she looked at the only other witch in the room. 

"When I married Roddy, we came back from a month long honeymoon already expecting a child, darling. Your Muggles have a saying, don't they, 'it only takes once.' Even if you cast a Contraceptive charm, it wears off and has to be recast each time." Bella told her gently. 

"But, but how c-can I, I won't, I, I can't go to school pregnant! I'll be setting a bad example for the younger students!" she wailed. She slumped against his chest. He patted her back. 

"I did cast the charm each time, Hermione. I did tell you I'm not ready for children. BUT just because I did cast the charm doesn't mean it worked each time. My mum and dad also cast the charm each time. They were married for ten years before they had me. Each and every time, without fail, they cast the charm. But here I am. The healers even told them sometimes the charm is overridden." He told her. 

"So, I might have to wait nine months before I can kill Ron Weasley and Harry Potter? They lucked out. I possibly might have cooled done by then! But that beetle! She's going back into her little jar!" she griped. 

"So you really did keep her in a jar then?" Yaxley questioned her, chuckling at the thought.

"Oh, yes! One whole year, she was in that jar. I think this time I might keep her there longer, much longer! And put fewer air holes in the lid! See how she likes that, stupid, nosey beetle!" she grumbled. "Still, none of this explains why they thought l was the one who set that fire!" she snatched the paper back up. Voldemort waited for her to finish the article. "Oh, Merlin! They think you set the fire, too?" Hermione went off into gales of laughter. 

"Oh, THAT'S why you took me! Rowle and Yaxley ran off to the pitch. So you took Rowle's new toy!" Voldemort just shrugged at that. "You know, we're going to have to go back, at least to defend ourselves. It might be unpleasant but we have to clear our names!" Hermione said. 

"No, I have no wish to be arrested for arson nor do I intend to lose MY best arsonist to the Aurors." Voldemort nodded at Thorfinn who, as anyone in the room could confirm, had been used more than once to set buildings aflame! Hermione remembered then that her new husband WAS a bit of a firebug. "Well, we have to do something! I can't finish my education if I can't go to the school without being arrested." Hermione reasoned. 

"Looks like we have a job to do then. We need to find out who it actually was who set or ordered that fire set!" Yaxley told her. Hermione blew a strand of hair out of her face. She picked the paper again. After she reread that article, she read the rest of the articles. They chuckled as her muttered threats to Rita Skeeter became more and more bloodthirsty. 

"So, who's up for Quidditch?" Rowle asked. Hermione whipped around to glare at him. "What? You're a bookworm. You get to do what you do best. I'm a Quidditch player. I do, too. Win-win, Mrs. Rowle." He set her down as all but Voldemort rose up and prepared to leave. 

Voldemort and Hermione just looked at the Quidditch players with an equally disbelieving look.... Then they looked at each other and it's this "there is no light and dark. There's bookworms and Quidditch players." Both threw their hands up as they realized they were going to have to figure out the real culprit on their own.

"All right then. Let's get to work, shall we?" Hermione said briskly. She busied herself finding some parchment and quills. "Now, I know it wasn't me who set the fire. I was fighting Rowle. You weren't the one who set the fire. You were fighting Harry. So if neither of us set it, then who did? Or who ordered it set and blamed us for it?" 

"Any other time, I'd have had Rowle setting the fire but I knew he wouldn't touch the pitch. He's too Quidditch crazy to fire on ANY pitch, let alone the Hogwarts pitch. Besides, he was right there in front of me, him and Yaxley. Those two can be struck off the suspects. Neither Bella nor the Lestrange brothers would do it. Dolohov wouldn't either. All of them were right in plain sight of me the whole time. Those are my innermost circle except for the Malfoys."Voldemort said. 

"It was Lucius who stopped and grabbed Rowle and Yaxley to go fight the fire. As much money as he spent each year making sure the Slytherins had the best equipment, I don't see him firing the pitch either." Hermione nibbled the end of the quill thoughtfully. "I don't recall seeing Draco or Narcissa, for that matter!"

"So it could have been one of them or it would have to have been one of my lesser ranked followers or someone from the other side." Voldemort reasoned. 

"Hmm, obviously it wasn't Harry or Ron. I was fighting. A good chunk of our side was Quidditch players but there were a few besides me who could care less for the sport." Hermione mused, writing those names down on the parchment. "How did the fire even start? Who was the first one to notice it?"

"Those are very good questions, my dear. Yaxley has been in contact with the Ministry, Order and the school as he IS still technically the Head Auror. You might want to ask him when they come back from their game." Voldemort told her. She made a note to herself. 

"So why are you so hell bent on killing Muggles? You know, of course, they outnumber us a thousand to one. Even if you killed every Muggle in Britain, you'd still have Scotland and Ireland to weed out and that's only counting the main islands. Don't even get me started on the mainland. Why not just start with taking over Wizarding Britain and go from there, without killing people?" she asked him. He considered her question seriously.

"You mean, like a dictatorship? Hmmm, I've never thought about that angle before. Would it work, though?" he mused. 

"Of course it would work. The people were already too terrified to say your name before. They're even more terrified now. It would be simply a matter of shifting key Death Eaters into key positions throughout the government, like Pious Thicknesse, for example. If you didn't want to be front and center, leave him in office to be the official face of the government while you pull the strings in the background. It would work, I'm telling you!" she insisted. She began scribbling her ideas madly as he leaned forward to discuss them. 

Some time later, the Quidditch players came back to find them in a lively argument over which followers would be best suited to the positions she pointed out. Voldemort and Hermione glanced up from arguing to realize there were more people flowing into the room than before. It seemed even more of his followers had decided to return to his side. Pious Thicknesse led Travers, McNair, Mulciber and Avery into the room. Every one of them arranged themselves at the table. Thorfinn picked Hermione up and sat down with her in his lap. 

"My faithful followers, I have an announcement to make. Thanks to the wise council of young Mrs. Rowle, I have decided we are no longer making attacks to get our point across. We are simply taking over the Ministry and Hogwarts. The Daily Prophet shall print only what we want printed. We are in power and we shall stay in power, without needless violence. To that end, I have appointed Mrs. Rowle as my personal secretary. If the opposition wants to contact me, they will have to get through her." Voldemort waited as his followers cheered loudly, congratulating Hermione.

"Yaxley, Hermione has some inquires about the fire that you might be able to answer better." Voldemort told the Auror. 

"Does anyone know how the fire started? How long was it on fire before it was noticed? Who was the one who first saw the fire?" Hermione asked her questions at a rapid fire pace. 

"They think it was a stray spark from somewhere. It had to be on fire at least thirty minutes before anyone noticed. I believe Lucius was looking for Draco and Narcissa when he glanced out a window and saw it." Yaxley answered, waiting to see if she had any more answers than he had.

"Thirty minutes. All right, I have to figure out who all was outside the castle thirty minutes prior to Rowle tying me to that table!" Hermione was again chewing the end of her quill. 

As dinner was served, Thorfinn had to take the quill and parchment out of her hands and remind her that she needed to eat because she was (possibly) eating for two now. The Death Eaters unobtrusively watched her. Thorfinn had to conclude that her parents were right. She did eat but it was such small amounts that he didn't see how it could have filled her up. As soon as she finished eating, Hermione went back to her research. 

The longer she stared at the list of names, the more she became convinced that she knew the culprit. Now it was just a matter of telling everyone. She put aside that research in order to work on Voldemort's new political campaign. She earmarked names and positions that she felt would bring about the results he wanted without killing Harry. The Horcrux was already gone but he had still tried to kill Harry. She could clearly see that she wouldn't be going back to the right side. So she might as well make herself useful to him. 

Voldemort watched the young woman. She had the same energy and drive that had sustained him years ago. It had pushed him through many political rallies. He wondered himself when it had all begun to change. Exactly when had he turned from a politician to a cold blooded murderer? He couldn't even remember now what had caused him to fear a prophecy so bad that he murdered most of a family in an effort to stop it. 

Why had he started craving eternal life? What was even the point of WANTING eternal life? Especially when he knew that everyone around him would eventually die, then where would he be? Alone, no followers and no power, that's where! Maybe it was time to pass the baton, especially since he knew his Horcruxes were all destroyed, thanks to her, Potter and Weasley. He decided that if he had to give his powers to anyone, it might as well be the young Muggleborn witch in front of him. 

After dinner, Thorfinn swept her up, leaving her paperwork behind, and carried her back to bed. The Death Eaters knew it would probably be another day or two before they saw them again. Voldemort pulled Yaxley, Dolohov, Bellatrix and Greyback off to a side room to discuss the shifting of his powers. He needed to know if they would still throw their support behind her. Yaxley and Dolohov were the first two to agree. Bellatrix was right behind them and Greyback mentioned that it would be his honor to be head of security for her. Now that he had her honor guard set up, Voldemort went back and told the rest of his followers there would be an important ritual happening in the next couple of days. 

Thorfinn kept Hermione hemmed into their room another two days before they reemerged. By this time, Hermione was sure if she hadn't been pregnant before, she definitely would be soon. She let him know right fast that she would expect a Muggle wedding ceremony in addition to the Wizarding ceremony, if this wasn't just a big prank he was playing on her. Her father would kill them both if he didn't get to walk his baby girl down the aisle! Thorfinn assured her again that he was dead serious about marrying her. They came down, discussing when would be the best time to introduce him to her parents. She told him first they would have to go to Australia and lift the Memory charm she had put on them. 

As they entered the dining room, they were startled to see everyone stand and make a double line for them to walk down. It ended at the mantel where the Dark Lord awaited them. Hermione noted his slightly labored breathing. Now that his Horcruxes were no more, the effects of aging were making themselves known. She remembered that Harry had told her the diary was the memories of a sixteen year old boy. That had been fifty years, at the time Harry had the diary. By the time he'd gone after Harry's family, he'd have to have been in his thirties, surely no older than his forties. Which meant the wizard before her was anywhere between his late sixties to late nineties. 

Voldemort watched them approach. They were the perfect match, in his eyes. She was the Golden Girl of the Trio for the light wizards. Because of his hair, size and young age, Thorfinn was called the Golden Boy of the Death Eaters. His large size perfectly fit around her petite build. Together, these two would continue his legacy of introducing new laws to the Wizarding world. 

"Hermione Granger-Rowle, please step forward." Hermione stepped up until she was practically toe to toe with him. "I have no heirs of my own. But I don't want my line to end. I am officially naming you as my legal heir." He took a small knife and cut a small wound on his finger. In the bowl on an end table beside him, he let three drops of blood fall. Next he reached for Hermione's hand. After a similar cut, he put three drops of her blood into the bowl. "With these words, I now unite our blood and declare Hermione Jean Granger the heir to my fortune and title. From this day, she will be known as Lady Riddle. She will be my legal daughter, soon to unite our family with the Rowle family. Do you accept this honor, Hermione?"

"Yes, I accept this honor, my lord." She gave in gracefully, knowing better than to refuse and try to fight her way out of the situation. 

"Please, turn around, daughter." She and Voldemort faced his followers. "I present to you, my daughter, Hermione Jean Granger, Lady Riddle, soon to be Lady Rowle." The Death Eaters all cheered and clapped loudly. The bowl flared up in green flames, signifying the completion of the ritual. The Dark Lord put his hand on her shoulder. "There is one more part to be done. Hold up your wand, dear." Hermione held it up and watched as he laid the tip of his wand against it. A bright light grew around the wand tips and glowed brightly for several minutes. When it faded, the Dark Lord's wand fell from his hand and he slumped to the floor. 

Hermione was beside him in a flash. She felt for a pulse, then leaned down to listen for a heartbeat. She put her fists together to pump on his chest. She leaned forward to feel and see if he was breathing. Nothing. No pulse, no breaths, no heartbeat. The Dark Lord Voldemort was dead. She looked up at Thorfinn. "He's gone." 

"Well, Lady Riddle. We need to finalize the paperwork. He had everything drawn up and signed before the ceremony. All I need is your signature, then I can formally file the paperwork with the Ministry." Yaxley told her. She turned to him and nodded. 

"What was that bright light around our wands?" she asked curiously. 

He looked at her and smiled. "That, my dear, was old blood magic. That's why he needed your blood. He transferred his powers to you. That's why he passed on. His powers were the only thing keeping him alive since the battle. Now you have your powers and his as well." Hermione looked shocked. He chuckled. "That's why you are now Lady Riddle." 

Hermione sat back on her heels. 'SHE was now Lady Riddle?' "Does that make me? What was it you called me the other day? Dark Lady QuitThat?" 

Yaxley laughed out loud. "No, sweetie. That was what the article called you. I was just teasing you that day!"

"By the way, I've narrowed down the list and I'm pretty sure I know who was responsible for the Quidditch pitch Inferno." She was looking at him uneasily, remembering how he and Thorfinn had reacted to the news. 

Yaxley leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "It was me. I was the last one who cast Incendio when we were blowing up the wooden bridge."

Yaxley considered her. "And, uh, WHY were you blowing up the bridge?"

"We were blocking access for those who couldn't Disapparate over to the school. Actually, McGonagall was the one who gave us permission to do it. Some stray sparks must have been blown down to the pitch. The flames did go quite high. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it." Clearly she was expecting them all to be angry at her. Thorfinn's brows had shot up in surprise. 

"No matter, sweetheart. It was an accident. You didn't mean to set the pitch afire. That's all that matters." Yaxley stood up and pulled her to her feet. 

They went to the dinner table where she signed all the necessary paperwork. Greyback lifted the body of Voldemort and carried him to the next room, laying him on the couch. After signing the papers, Hermione followed and sat with him until Ministry workers arrived to take the body and the papers. She made arrangements, with Yaxley's help, for him to be buried in the Riddle Family Cemetery. 

"I'll need to go back, at least long enough to tell Harry and Professor McGonagall goodbye. I need to, Thorfinn, please." She pleaded with him. He sighed. 

"All right, but I'm going with you and if they make one wrong move toward you, I'll burn Hogwarts to the ground!" he threatened. Hermione smiled and slid her arms around him. She had finally decided the big galoot wasn't lying to her. She was becoming more used to showing affection for him. 

"Don't worry, Finn. We're all going back with her. They want to take her, they'll have to get through all of us." Dolohov was the one who reassured Thorfinn. 

They were all waiting for her to lead the way, Hermione realized. She and Thorfinn walked out, hand in hand. As they came out of the house, they Disapparated. They popped back into view at the gate. Hermione looked up at Thorfinn. He smiled and nodded towards the school. Harry was the first one to see the large group headed their way. At first, he thought it was just another group of volunteers helping to clean up the school. Then he focused on the petite girl walking towards him. 

"Hermione? Hermione! She's back! Hermione's back!" he yelled, running towards her. 

"Harry!" Hermione ran forward and they hugged tightly. Then she leaned back, popped him in the back of the head. "Dark Lady QuitThat?!" 

"Ow! Ow! Sorry, Hermione! That was all Ron! He was talking to Skeeter while I was getting reamed out by McGonagall! I sort of didn't stand up for you too well and she was not pleased with me! I know now that I was wrong." Harry sputtered. 

"Well, that's kind of why I'm here, Harry. I need to see Professor McGonagall." Harry nodded and led the way into the school.

Professor McGonagall was standing on the stage with Professors Sprout, Flitwick and Slughorn. McGonagall turned and saw her. She hurried down the steps. 

"OH! Miss Granger! Oh, we have been so worried about you! Are you all right, my dear?" she looked past her in alarm. Behind her was Thorfinn Rowle, Corbin Yaxley, Antonin Dolohov and Bellatrix Lestrange, four of the Dark Lord's most dangerous followers. But, where was Voldemort? "Miss Granger, may I ask why they are here?"

"You may. They're my followers. This is Thorfinn, soon to be my husband. I won't be staying. I just wanted to see goodbye to you and Harry. Also I have something to say." Hermione reached behind her. Thorfinn took her hand. 

"All right. I do hope, Miss Granger, that you will be returning to school, once we have it functional again. It might take a few years to get it back in shape." McGonagall looked fondly at the young witch. 

Ron had walked over and froze at the sight of her holding hands with the huge, blond Death Eater behind her. "Hermione, what are you doing? Why are you with THEM?" 

"Hermione? Why ARE you with them? Where is Voldemort?" Harry asked. 

Hermione looked at him calmly. "Lord Voldemort is dead. He passed his power, title and fortune to me. I've been legally named his heir. I'm now Lady Riddle, at least until my wedding. Then I'll be Lady Rowle." She heard the shocked gasps around her.

Hermione spotted Rita Skeeter, hiding in the shadows. "Might as well come out, beetle! I've quite the story for you! I've been reading your little stories all this time. Very interesting theories, by the way! Not sure how I managed to mesmerize the trolls but whatever! Yes, I was here and fighting. This big guy is who I was fighting." She pointed backward at Finn. "Just to let you know, I thought I'd come and tell you all myself. Lord Voldemort was not the one who set the pitch afire nor did he order a fire to be set!"

"I'M the one who set the fire! It was completely accidental but it was me! It happened while we were blowing up the wooden bridge! I was the last one to cast Incendio. It was sparks from my wand that set the pitch afire!" she looked around. Harry and Ron both were slack jawed with shock. Confused murmuring started up all through the crowd. 

McGonagall had her hands over her face as she shook her head. "Oh, my dear. It wasn't all your fault. I was the one who ordered the bridge blown up." 

Hermione and McGonagall looked at each other, shaking their heads. "Bloody hell!"


End file.
